Malaysian tour company fined RM20,000 after fatal bus crash that killed 15 UPSI students
A Malaysian tour company, Kenari Utara Travel & Tours, was fined RM20,000 after pleading guilty to illegally leasing its bus permit to an unlicensed operator. The bus was later involved in a tragic Gerik crash that killed 15 UPSI students and injured over 30 others. Authorities vow stricter enforcement to protect public safety.
- Kenari Utara Travel & Tours fined RM20,000 for breaching licence rules.
- Unlicensed operator’s bus crash killed 15 UPSI students in Gerik.
- Tourism Ministry pledges firm action against illegal tour operators.
MALAYSIA: A Malaysian tour company has been fined RM20,000 (approximately US$4,700) after pleading guilty to illegally leasing its vehicle permit and selling a tour bus later involved in a fatal crash that killed 15 university students in June this year.
Company Found Guilty of Breaching Licence Conditions
Kenari Utara Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd pleaded guilty on 3 November 2025 to two charges under Regulation 6(1)(f) of the Tourism Industry Regulations 1992, which prohibits licensed operators from transacting with unlicensed entities.
The company was found to have sold a tour bus with registration number PLD 8892 and leased its operating permit to Noreen Maju Trading, an unlicensed tour operator under Malaysia’s Tourism Industry Act 1992 [Act 482].
The Gerik Magistrate’s Court imposed a fine of RM10,000 (approximately US$2,395.78) for each charge, with Magistrate Muhammad Firdaus Nor Azlan warning that failure to pay could result in up to five years’ imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Zulaikha Mahadi, assisted by Tourism Ministry prosecuting officer Nurul Hidayah Aman.
Fatal Accident That Sparked the Case
The charges stemmed from a 9 June accident on Jalan Raya Timur-Barat Banun, Gerik, where the bus operated by Noreen Maju Trading was ferrying Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students back to their Tanjong Malim campus.
The bus reportedly collided with the rear of a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), lost control, and overturned into a road divider around 1 am.
Fifteen students were confirmed dead, while 33 others — including the 40-year-old driver, a 54-year-old attendant, and several MPV passengers — sustained injuries and were treated at Gerik Hospital.
Ministry Vows Tough Action on Illegal Operators
Following the conviction, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing strict compliance across the tourism sector.
“Violations of the Tourism Industry Act and its regulations are serious criminal offences,” MOTAC said in a statement on 6 November 2025.
“The ministry is committed to taking firm action against any party that endangers the safety and integrity of Malaysia’s tourism industry.”
The ministry also urged licensed tour operators to ensure all transactions comply with regulatory conditions, stressing that public safety must remain a top priority within Malaysia’s tourism sector.
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